December 11, 2022

Dec 10

Third Sunday of Advent

Enhance your online worship experience

Whether you’re a first-time online visitor or a life-long member, we welcome and celebrate the ways you enrich our collective worship of a scattered yet gathered Children of God. As we begin our service, we invite you to light a candle, just as we do in the prelude during our in-person worship. Our two altar candles symbolize that Christ was both a human being and God. A light being carried into the world shows that Jesus Christ is for all people - everywhere. Just as a the acolyte carries the lighted candlelight into the congregation, the light symbolizes the light of Jesus Christ preceding us into the world where we as the church are to serve.

Gathering

Chimes of the Trinity

Prelude

Carol of the Bells Ukrainian Carol arr. A.B. Sherman

Handbell Choir

Welcome and Announcements

Rev. Lisa Hartzog

Call to Worship

Inspired by Psalm 146 and Luke 1:46-56

One: Our souls proclaim your greatness, O God.
Many: And our spirits rejoice in you.
One: We will praise you as long as we live.
Many: We will sing praises to you our whole lives long.
One: We will not trust in the powerful of this world,
Many: But will trust in you–Creator of heaven and earth,
One: the One who gives food to the hungry,
Many: the One who enacts justice for the oppressed.
One: Our souls proclaim your greatness, O God
Many: As we worship you in this place.

written by Joanna Harader, and posted on Spacious Faith

Response

Do You Hear What I Hear? arr. Bill Ingram

Hymn

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus UMH# 196

Concerns & Prayers with the Lord’s Prayer

Rev. Lisa Hartzog UMH# 895

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come; thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen

Lighting of the Advent Wreath Candle

The Tony Payne Family

Response to the Lighting of the Candles

This, this is Christ the king, whom shepherds guard and angels sing; Haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary!

The Coming King

Isaiah 35:1-10 Paul Dempsey

The Promise

Jeremiah 33:14-16 Luke 1:39-45 John Jalocha

Response

To a Maid Engaged to Joseph UMH# 215
Stanzas 1,2,6

The Magnificat

Luke 1:46-55 Connie Kramer

Anthem

A Responsorial Magnificat arr. Donald Rotermund

Brooke Reyes, soprano | Danielle Flan, flute | Dillon Beck, handbells

Sermon

Joy

Prayer of Confession and Assurance of Pardon

Our God came into the world so long ago to teach us the path to joy. Let the joy of God resonate in our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven and made new.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and made new.
Thanks be to God.

The One Who Prepared the Way

Malachi 3:1-4 Luke 1:68-79 John 1:6 Karla Jalocha

The Nativity

Luke 2:1-7 Edda Worley

Response

Cloth for the Cradle arr. John L. Bell

The Shepherds and Angel

Zephaniah 3:14-20 Luke 2:8-14 Nick Skaggs

One: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
All: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

Response

Bell Carol arr. Anna Laura Page

The Glory of the Lord

Hebrews 1:1-4 Luke 2:15-20 Mary Tadey

Respone

The Lute Carroll Mary E. Caldwell

The Gift of Salvation

Titus 2:11-15a Mary Tadey

Response

Holy Child of Mary Kathy Powell

Blessing of the Tithes and Offerings

What can I give him poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part; yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

Response

Who Is This Tiny Child? Jay Castelli

Dismissal with Blessing

Response

I will hold the Christ-light for you in the nighttime of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear.

Postlude

The First Nowell the Angel Did Say arr. Kathy C. Bowen